TWSS

Okay so I am more than a little sad that Michael Scott is gone.

He always left me satisfied and smiling.

thanks google images

Can you tell that I watched last night’s episode AGAIN?! Mostly because, after getting up around 0600 every morning, sleeping in on my day off isn’t going to happen.  And apparently whenever I don’t have something time-dependent to do in the day (aka get my butt to work) running first thing just isn’t going to happen. So weird because I used always be one of those people just ready to GO.

Since I was cleared to run on Tuesday I’ve been taking advantage of that (duh) and running.  A lot.  At least relative to what I thought I would be doing at this time.  Jess commented that she thought that a tear in my tendon would require surgery and was way serious.  So did I in fact.

The fact that I don’t need it either means A) the tear is really really small or B) it was more of a wearing and fraying of the tendon.  I’m leaning toward the latter because I didn’t need surgery and my short runs the past few days have been pain free, which means to me that it’s healed up…at least healed up a lot.

So my runs lately have been feeling pretty darn good on the whole.  Wednesday I had a so-so run before work. Completely pain free but I think my cardiovascular system is still taxed from the marathon because it was exhausting. I’m sure it was partly due to the humidity though (this week, while warm, has been really thick).

And then I caught up with a college friend after work.  And we had a weekend kind of night. On a Wednesday night. Holler.

From Freshman Year of College! (my friend who I saw is the one on the right)

Despite that, I was still up and at ’em Thursday morning.  The run turned out really well too.  I guess it goes back to the thinking that the runs right after a night of drinking is always a good run for me.

Because this one was really fast and felt really strong and really good.  It felt almost like a tempo: hard but way fun and exhilarating. (twss)

Some thoughts that passed through my head on this run?

• Ugh it’s humid (63*, 97% humidity). My hair looks a mess.  And I’m running through the grad school today. Double ugh.
• Ugh it’s rainy.  Maybe I  should’ve worn a shirt! (I was in a sport bra)
• Ugh it’s humid. I’m glad I’m not in a shirt.
• Man my breathing is hard, but controlled.  Most excellent.

That last point occurred to me during the last mile or so.  It felt great to be running strong! Not that my runs have been *total* crap for the past x amount of weeks.  But they’ve just felt like runs.  This felt like a run, if that makes sense.

It probably helped that this song was stuck in my head:

I really am digging this song. Like, when it comes on the radio it gets blasted and…well not really sung…more like shouted.

Anyway, like I said up top, I chose to not get up out of bed and run first thing on my day off *yesthreedayweekend* so I’m going to try and squeeze that in between lots of errands.  There were bunches of thunderstorms yesterday which cleared out some of the humidity.  Always a good thing.

Another good thing? I’m finally going to be making the signs for Sunday (I do have a couple of ideas but am soooo indecisive about which ones to pick! I’m doing a double sided poster) finally going to be putting gas in my car and finally going to be putting food in the fridge. YAY.

I hope everyone is having a fabulous Friday so far. Yes I’m aware that it’s not even 0900 yet but I hope it’s been f-a-b-o-l-o-u-s just the same. I know I am because A) I’m not working (yes I’m that petty and rubbing it in) and B) you guys are too amazing in telling me how much you love my Boston race pictures ❤

Boston Pictchaaaaaaaaaaaaas

Keep the signage ideas coming! I have a couple favorites…maybe I’ll make more than one poster? Since I know more than one person running I can customize 😉 I am getting so excited to spectate this weekend!

After working a 13 hour workday yesterday (okay so it was really 12.75 hours but actually wasn’t so bad since I got to go to a Department of Health training) I just crawled into bed. Without my phone because I left it at work. I feel so naked! Luckily my regular alarm clock works just fine and I was able to get up and go to my 2nd eval appointment for my knee.

So here’s the New PT Update:

I got up wicked bright and early to go to this 2^nd (!!) eval for my leg pain and I was really happy. The new guy (who looks like an older Will Farrell) actually ran me through some exercises and examined my leg and my running shoes. And shocked me when, lo and behold, my IT band was not the least bit tight. But my lower back sure is. I do have two budging discs in my lower back from a high school volleyball injury that apparently is causing my leg to pull up and tighten. Displaced pain I think is what he called it. The long and short of it is that I am cleared to run as long as I stay below the pain threshold. AND I only have to go every 7-10 days for two more visits just to make sure the exercises are strengthening my back. YIPPEE.

So you can bet your booty that I went out for a really short, and moderately slow-but-felt-easy run afterward.  It was pretty joyous in fact.

I’m still taking the mindset of “I’m recovering” so I don’t overdo it (and as such: being a good girl and actually trying to recover well therefore leads to being so not exciting in my running), I don’t have much more to write — although, like I opened the post with: keep those suggestions coming for the sign I want to make.

Maybe some Boston pictures finally? I know it’s been a week plus a day since the race and y’all are probs sick of hearing/seeing it but I put these up on FB over the weekend and then realized that not all of you are my FB friends. I got my friend Nick to steal them for me (and check out his blog. He ran Boston too and ran really well!)

Chillin’ at the Village with some friends

Don’t let that smile deceive you: I wasn’t sure if I was going to start!

I’m sure this is at the 15k mark. Probs my favorite pic.

Rounding the corner of Hereford. Almost. There.

And then a left onto Boylston (although I think this picture is just past that left). And I’m smiling because my sis is blasting that damn vevuzela!

I think this might actually be that left. But it’s a dark picture. I’m sure anyone who’s run Boston will tell you that when you round that corner, the finish line is sooooooooooooo effing far away. It’s almost cruel.

HANDS UP

DONE.

“You Are Totally Okay To Run” really means Lazy Weekend.

First: I hope everyone had a great holiday weekend, whether you celebrate Passover or Good Friday/Easter. Or just had a damn good weekend in general.  Yesterday I was able to lay out on my balcony in a bathing suit and try to irradiate my shorts/socks tan.  I also went for a great walk in a tank top and shorts! I probs shouldn’t have given how burnt Boston left me.And thanks for the suggestions regarding relief from the burn. I’ve just been using aloe vera…with lidocaine.

PT Update:  On Friday I went to the one in the building I worked at aaaaaaaaaand well I’m not going back there. The woman I saw told me that I was okay to run. I think she meant that because I run a lot that I’m recovering from the marathon fast (and I’ll agree with her there. If it wasn’t for the injury I probably could be running based on how the rest of my body feels)

But I was like..uuuuuuuuuum no? Oh well, I got a massage out of it.  I’m not nixing PT completely though and scheduled an appt at a different place for Tuesday. This time, when I called, the guy asked me to bring in my running shoes. I think that’ll be a better fit.

Good thing that I haven’t been in the mood to run lately not in the mood to run because I totally would have gone for one post-work with that advice I got! I mean, YES my leg is feeling better and YES I probs could run something. But I think my leg is feeling better because of the rest.  I ran too soon after WR and paid the price.  I like to think I have somewhat of a learning curve.

I did swipe my roomie’s ID and get some eliptical and bike work in this weekend as well as take advantage of really sunny and warm weather by walking everywhere for errands on Sunday.  Plus some pushups and situps.  It totally exhausted me though. Not anything bad, but that “man that was a good workout” sort of way.

Kind of what I wanted to do!

And I did go out for a BEAUTIFUL walk on Friday after dinner. It almost pained me to not be out running. Almost.  Should’ve brought my camera! But it was lovely to get out there and feel the sunshine on my face.  And then go home and sleep. My friends wanted to go out and celebrate Boston that night buttttt it had to wait a day. I just crashed. 13 hours later I woke up. Jeeeeeeeeeeeeeez.

Who am I? I’m not itching to run and I’m sleeping. That said, we did celebrate hardcore Saturday night.

But since I’m not running (yet) HELP: I have a friend who is running a marathon soon (and I’m actually sorely tempted to go out on some runs this week because he’s in taper and I’m recovering. So theoretically it won’t be anything hard).  I was originally going to run the half that’s “attached” to it but I’m thinking that’s not going to happen. So I’m now thinking of spectating the full.  I need a creative poster idea. Thoughts? And Lindsay: I know you have some choice thoughts, but keep them PG girl 😀

Okay So I Lied

about the “oh my body recovers fast” statement from my race report.  Because 48 hours after the marathon my quads and shins hurt. Blahhhh. But now, 72 hours later, it’s gone. Annoying.

But recovery from The Boston is going.  Like I said above, my muscles feel fine. But my sunburn hurts

and knee hurts too. Thanks for the good lucks about my doctors appointment today and it was about what I expected: slight tear in my flexor tendon and, rather than send me to an ortho and “tests” and a potential cutting-away-happy person to see, my doctor gave me a PT script to get me back faster and stronger.

AND joy upon joy, because I’m a VISTA (aka the government legitimately says I have no income) the PT place that’s in my building (who works with the free clinic patients) has discounted my co-pay heavily. So I can actually go. I probably wouldn’t have because of the co-pay price (this is why I didn’t go 5 weeks ago when the pain started). HIZZAH. Double hizzah because my first appointment is tomorrow.

So still no running post-Boston. I’ma be waiting for the PT’s go-ahead. Bleh. The funny thing is that mentally I have no desire to run right now. I saw some people on my drive to work this morning out on my usual route and I thought “hahah you @$$^&*% are out running. And I’m not”

A little discerning because I’m always itching to run.  And analyze. But I’m not doing any post-race analysis. Yet. This is the second Boston I’ve run injured so there’s obviously something wrong with how I trained.

For now, I’m spectating the Cox Providence Marathon on May 1st (a friend is running and I’m going to cheer him on) and I know that seeing others out racing and pushing themselves with likely get me going.  Hopefully by then I’ve been cleared to run. I think that’ll be the case but you never know. And with the amazingly springlike weather this week I should want to.  But I’m content with sleeping a lot and sitting on the balcony post-work reading.

And the winners of my dirty joke = music giveaway (and I loved reading the jokes!) are:

Boston 2011 Training Mix: Sarah, who wrote

A little old man shuffled slowly into an ice cream parlor and pulled himself slowly, painfully, up onto a stool. After catching his breath, he ordered a banana split.
The waitress asked, ‘Crushed nuts?’
‘No, arthritis.’

Boston Driving to Start 2010 Mix: Marcia, who wrote

why are blonde jokes so short?
So brunettes can understand them.

❤ so send me your addys to marathonmaidenrunner@gmail.com and I’ll get those out to you ASAP. And by ASAP I mean whenever I get to the store to buy CDs. If you harass me enough it’ll be on the sooner side!

“Don’t Let That Smile Deceive You”

Boston Marathon 2011: 3:48.46.

Easily a PW. But, hey, it was bound to happen at some point, right?

And according to baa.org

	5k	10k	15k	20k	Half	25k	30k	35k	40k
	0:24:34	0:48:44	1:13:35	1:39:25	1:45:00	2:05:52	2:35:15	3:04:51	3:35:52
Finish:		Start Offset	Pace	Proj. Time	Offl. Time	Overall	Gender	Division
		–	0:08:44		3:48:46	13033	4077	2711

I mean, I’m alive and all buttttt as a precaution remember I packed my id, money and *insurance card* into my sports bra because I felt that it would be a bad race.  And, while I didn’t use anything of that yesterday (but ended up in the medical tent), I will on Thursday as I fork over a co-pay to see the doctor (annoyingly the first appointment available)

Race day started out decent, I was awake wayyyy earlier than my alarm because of anxiety but  I was actually excited for a race before race day for once after the dailies dinner! This feeling faded on Sunday but Saturday night I was pumped.

Dear friends who have given me more support than I probs deserve!

I got to the start around 0730, actually got to use a porta potty that hadn’t been used yet (!!) and hung out for  a bit chatting with some of my RW friends. (Kevin and Nick). Kevin’s first words to me? “You don’t look happy to be here”.  Which was true by the time Monday morning rolled around and we chit chatted about lots of things. I looked for another friend, Sarah, but never found her before the start despite us texting to find each other.  Nick and I walked to the start where he so graciously let me wear his throwaway sweatshirt! We found our corral, talked strategy, wished each other luck and we were off.

The race started out well for me.  The first two miles were probably a little faster than I should have run them (7:45, 7:30) but that’s roughly the goal pace I set for myself (I was targeting a 3:20 remember) and they felt good.  After mile two, my knee started hurting.  Not that much so I settled around 8 minute pace and readjusted my goals.  All the while, wearing the tiara and trying to feed off the energy of the crowd.  Everyone loved my tiara.  I had my first initial permanent marker’d on my leg so I got a lot of “Go Princess K!” cheers.  The little kids loved the crown too. One older gentleman told me “You keep up with those big boys Miss America”.

I don’t really remember much of the middle miles except trying to feed off that energy.  Because I was in pain.  The crowds at Boston are SO AWESOME. (And Caroline I looked for you at that DD by BC in the late miles! Couldn’t find you though) So I slapped every single hand that was outstretched and did enjoy myself in that respect.

But I cannot tell you the number of times I thought about dropping out (because I stopped counting) and when a train flew by in Natick? Yeah I thought about that $20 in my bra. By mile 16 the pain was lingering up my hip and down into my feet and continued on for the rest of the race.  I really wish that I had seen one of my friends who was on heartbreak because I needed to have someone tell me to htfu.

Im in the all black and tiara. Taken by a friend (runningsnake) around the mile 19 water station

And then around mile 21/22/23 (I can’t really remember) I felt something pop and then radiate pain up and down my leg.  This is also soon before the moment where I accepted beer from the BC boys (who among all the people on the course loved my tiara the most)

My pace dropped off SO MUCH during the last half and especially post-heartbreak and I know I looked like death in the late miles.  It was such a struggle. I wanted to stop and cry so many times.  I knew that I couldn’t stop (although you all will be proud to know I did for water THREE TIMES!) because if I did that then I wouldn’t start up again. I feel bad for my family because they didn’t know if they were going to keep getting the next 5k split text. They were all in Boston waiting for the call “heyyyyy I’m not going to be there”

As I rounded the corner of Hereford and Boylston I saw my family this year (last year they missed me) with my sister blasting her vuvuzela and that gave me the kick to push hard at the end.  After crossing the finish line I meandered over to the medical tent where they had no ice (wtf?) and got seen by a doctor because I couldn’t bear weight on my leg.

With the above said, I finished the race not meeting my hopes but doing MUCH better than my expectations. Despite the real pain of my leg (and not just the pain that comes with hauling your body over 26.2 miles) I can’t say that I’m really pissed off about it or angry.  That doesn’t mean I’m overjoyed with the actual race itself (or my foolish pride in sticking out the whole thing) as I know I did lots of things wrong leading up to the race. But my expectations heading into Athlete’s Village were not the greatest and therefore not being in surgery right now is a plus (because that was my fear going into the race)

This is the second year I’ve run Boston and the second year I’ve run the race overtrained and injured and the second year Boston knocked me on my ass (because despite PR-ing last year at Boston it still wasn’t all it could be).  Good thing I’m moving to a new hometown and can have a new hometown race 😉

"I F$#%ing Hate This Course" <-- one fleeting thought that passed through my head in the late miles.

I met up with Lindsay (and I have to apologize to her because I was really irritated with my family and cranky because I couldn’t find her and they all wanted to leave the city.  And I’m pretty sure she witnessed it! But once I saw her I instantly relaxed. So thanks girl!) and we wandered a bit and got lost trying to find the T because streets were shut down. Stupidly I didn’t get a picture so you’ll just have to trust it happened.

Again, thanks to all who tracked and texted and commented on my last post and fb’d. And read this whole damn thing (I swear someday I’ll learn to be concise with my words). Also to note: other than the blistering sunburn I have and my knee, I feel good. I kind of hate my fast recovery time after a marathon because it makes me want to go out there NOW and run rather than bask and recover, because like I’ve said to a few of you, I have to be happy with my performance given how I was feeling this weekend (I really downplayed how bad it was. Silly pride)

Fingers crossed I get something resembling good news at the doctor on Thursday.  I’m just trying to relax. I took today off of work too and I’m glad I did, although relaxing is hard to do with a sunburn! Ouch! And trust me: there will be no running until I get the go-ahead from my doctor. Not that I really could anyway. I really can’t in good conscience. The medic at the tent told me he thought it was a tear in my flexor tendon. Because when he placed his hand on my calf and told me to push down I couldn’t.  We’ll see in a few days though. In the meantime I have some jokes to read. Holler.

T Minus NOW

And now, the moment you’ve all been waiting for, because this post is going up for the second the gun goes off

Some Boston Talk

and my goal(s) for it. Given the fact that I never *mentally* recovered from WR back in December, and then got injured 5 weeks ago, I think that finishing feeling good would be the ultimate. Hell, I think I might have a beer or two from those BC students to ensure that the goal is met 😉

That said, I’d be lying if I didn’t have an ultimate goal for the race. I mean, I constantly downplay my running (and pretty much lots of other things) but in the end I want to run well.  This bullshit of running to solely have fun doesn’t fly with me.  Fast running = competing = pushing hard = fun.

It’s the whole race-til-you-hit-the-puke-threshold mentality that I have.

I know a lot of racing is the stars coming aligned at the right time.  And it’ll take quite a few stars to convince me that, given how 2011 has been shaping up so far, Boston will be the most amazing running experience (meeting people? quite possibly!) So no, I’m not fishing for compliments here because deep down I know I’m a good runner (I really hope that doesn’t sound pretentious!) and if you remember correctly I did have a PR in Boston last year when dealing with shin splints that had plagued me during the last few weeks (I even had to take the final 3 weeks off of running).

Therefore I do have ambitious goals for Boston that, if my leg cooperates, I think I have a shot at:

1. Sub 3:20.  I was going to write sub 3:30 because that was my goal last year but what the hell.  Ambition, right?
2. Course PR: That would be a 3:35:53
3. Finish not more injured than I started.  This one might be tricky because after that 20 miler two weeks ago my leg was SORE after.  And that my IT and knee have never really has a period in the past 5 weeks where they felt 100%
4. Have fun.  I think this will happen, if only because I’ve met a lot of people this weekend, and that has been a BLAST.

I mean, deep down, regardless of how craptastic this training cycle has been, I’m a competitor.  I’m aiming for the best but I’d be lying if I didn’t say right now that, as I sit here in bed on Sunday night typing this out, I’ve already packed the following to carry with me during the race (and note I have NEVER even thought about bringing these things during a race before):

• Cash money, in case I have to hop of the commuter rail
• Charlie Card, in case I make it far enough to be able to hop the T
• Phone, to call people, duh
• Insurance card, please pray I do not need this one

There’s absolutely no way of knowing how Marathon Monday is going to go.  I’d be lying if I said I’m not debating dropping out.  I’d be lying if tears were not shed over my anxiety.  I’m going to keep private my decision making process (a lot of things have had me going back and forth) but the end result is that I will be seeing this tomorrow

and, by hook or by crook, I plan on seeing this (and yes shout out to my good friend HRMaddie from RW who inspired this pic)

T Minus Soon

Have you told me a (dirty) joke to enter my playlist/music giveaway? I love reading the ones that people have told me already. Remember: no joke = no entry. I want to laugh!

I’m finishing up my work week right now and walked into my office and saw this…well it was in an envelope but this is what I opened up to see

Awwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww.And note that one of my co-workers, whom I LOVE, told me to remember to tie my shoes. Now that’s love. I wasn’t originally going to give my number to my work but I think I will once I leave. Then they can track me on the big screen during clinic on Monday.

No needless to say I’m slowly starting to get excited. I won’t be fully excited until I get to the starting line but I’m starting to have the competitor in me come out, which is odd given how un-motivated I’ve been all training cycle. The more and more people ask me about it and wish me good luck the more and more I want to beast it and goals are starting to formulate in my brain.

But I’m still not really butterfly-y. I know that I’ll get more excited as I get to meet blogger / RW peeps this weekend. And last night, I did meet a med school kid who is running the Providence marathon and it was AWESOME to have someone in my real life to talk to! And possibly run with him and train for races this summer with. So I’m starting for formulate big goals for Monday. Eeeeep.

Now I just need to get through the next few days.

Wednesday, like I mentioned in my last post, was rainy and gross and the run sucked.  Not demoralizing but just suckage. And it left me with a nice black toe on my middle toe of my left foot. I mean, I’ve done *howmany* 20+ runs and a little taper run causes this?! WTF?

Luckily I cut the nail down as far as I could, per recommendation of a doctor here, and my run yesterday drained it.  No pain anymore, nor was the run on Thursday painful due to it.  I guess the pressure was relieved when the blood was removed. So, while I was worried about it earlier this week, now I’m not.  YAY.

Not much else to blog about. Lame post. But it’s taper time. I never really get taper madness in the way others do.  I still feel calm and no more obsessive about things than normal. The weather predicted for Monday is supposed to be nice. Same for today so I’ll likely get out for a run after work. And then I’ll spend the weekend hanging out and hopefully meeting a bunch of you (safe traveling to everyone!). I’m spending all day in Boston tomorrow which will be a blast.

Good weekend planned? Yes. Good Monday planned? Probably. At the very least I don’ t have to be back work until Wednesday.

A Drowned Rat Looks Better Than You

…according to my roomie after my run this morning. It was said with love though, I think, and was said because I was dripping rain all over the apartment. Even after taking off most of my layers outdoors. Boo rain.

But my run on Tuesday was really freaking good.  It helped that the weather was really nice, not as humid as Monday with  partly cloudy and mid 50s for the temperature.  And YAY I beat the rain.  The only downside was that I had to stop 4 times to find a bathroom although the plus side is that I now know all the buildings on this particular route that have public restrooms.  Win? Maybe?

It was a mid-y kind of run distance wise, last “real run” before Monday, and my legs are feeling tired and twinge-y and, well, taper-y.  Although strangely enough I finished feeling pumped up and strong. So I made the executive decision to run the risk of being late for work so I could do this

Put my feet up, eat some breakfast and enjoy the wonderful weather. I really can’t think of a better way to start the day. The mornings have been really nice lately and so have the nights, I’ve actually been able to sleep with the window open!

And yes those are the Boston 2010 chip and the WR 2010 tag on those shoes.  I guess that pair has fallen to be the “racing shoes” as they’ve only been broken out for races (I train in the same style but, obviously different pair as these guys have ~200 miles on them)

And they’ll be the ones that I wear when I run Boston again this year.  I think I probably should have switched into newer shoes (hell even these ones and gotten a new pair for the race) as my ones I’ve been running have…well I’ll keep that a secret between me and my excel “shoe miles” spreadsheet.

I did not wear them again today because it was a rainy and dreary day and I didn’t want them to get “ruined”.  Bleh. But it’s okay overall because *fingerscrossed* the weather for Monday looks clear. I can handle the rain for a few more days.  At least it’s not snow, right?

The run itself was pretty awful.  The rain made the 40* seem even colder. I was actually shivering pretty much the entire time. Not cool mother nature. Not cool. So I was miserable for 96.3453% of the run. Overall I’m okay with it because it wasn’t a confidence deflating run.  I knew that the constant, unrelenting rain factored in, so did the choice of route (hello hills!) and the fact that, due to being very busy yesterday at work, I hadn’t eaten much on Tuesday.

And it was sans music.

Lately I’ve been using my iphone to listen to music while doing my runs.  Not every one, maybe 3 times a week. It started probably with bad intentions: I wanted to not pay attention to my leg.  BAD.  But on my easy (and not 0530) runs I’ve been listening to a playlist that’s been pumping me up.  I want to dance (and actually it’s been a pre-gaming mix too) when I hear the songs. And it’s been getting me through some not so stellar training without me obsessing about pace and other runners on the pathway I run.

Which is why I want to share it with YOU.  Yes this is MM’s first giveaway.  A music one.

I’m actually going to pick two winners. The first will win the stuff I’ve been listening to during my training and this is the mix I’m debating bringing to Boston to play intermittently during the painful miles. At the very least it’s the one I’ll force my mom to listen to as she drives me to Hopkinton. The second winner will get my last year Boston mix, the one I listened to in the car on the drive to the start.

Exciting, right? I’ll will say upfront that some of the songs are *not* the radio edits.  Here’s how you can enter to win:

Tell me a joke.  Preferably a dirty or risque one.

Yup. Only one way to enter.  I hate it when people make you jump through hoops.  And since it’s a homemade giveaway I’m not going to be that mean.  Just tell me a joke to make me laugh.  It’s been a rough training cycle.  You have until Monday the 18th at 1000.  Which is when I’ll start my 26.2 mile to Boston.

Ready? BREAK!

 

I Waited All Winter For This.

And, no, I’m not talking about this little thing that I’m doing next Monday.

Or the ice cream brownie sundae I got to eat on my porch last night with the brownie recipe below. I have to carb sugar load for Boston, right?

I’m talking about SPRING. Like, real spring. Not some date on the calendar (although I think that mother nature and the calendar should get on the same page) but warm weather. The kind where my roomie and I could actually sit on the balcony and not be all bundled up! Hallelujah (and yes I’m acutely aware that I just jinxed myself. And all of you. I apologize in advance. Especially since we all know this jinxing will occur on the 18th)

thanks google

The overnight lows were in the 40s and the highs were damn near 60* the past 5 day.  We didn’t actually hit 60, which is my typical benchmark for spring.  But I think that, given how rough winter was for the large majority of the country, I’ll let it slide.

With the rising temps I’m always tempted to raise my miles as well.  Which I probs disregarded the first week of my taper. BUT I have shown some restraint and there have been no fartlek runs or anything resembling speed work.  While I may be in the mindset of going with the flow I’m too scared to risk anything with speed work! Especially since the runs keep going back and forth between pain and pain free. Which some of you (smart minds 🙂 ) told me in my last post. I just need to relax and ride out the next week-ish until the race. Eeep. Easy running has been my bread and butter for the past 5(!!) weeks, no need to mess with it.

And it’s taper time, right?

Easy running, therefore was the story of the weekend.  Thursday and Friday were easy mid-distance days, Saturday was my last “long run” and Sunday was somewhere between short and mid.  All in bright shining sunlight.  Some wind but that felt great and “cooled things off”. (Can you tell how excited I am about the weather. Every paragraph refers to it. And in a glowing way!) <– Happiness.

All the runs were pretty darn fast too.  Relatively speaking, which even with that disclaimer is still confidence boosting.  Definitely no sub-9 miles (gosh I haven’t seen those since pre-injury!) but fast enough to tell me that I’m recovering.  Hopefully in a week, those 26.2 miles between Hopkinton and Boston don’t throw a monkey wrench in it.

Aside from working on my tan (which I really need to be diligent about the sunscreen this year. Hello another 3 moles removed! And hello sun-freckle-spot thingy machine that was at clinic last week and showed me the damage on my skin.  Surprisingly it wasn’t as bad as I thought but the sunscreen needs to be a daily thing) I’ve been baking a bit. Or rather my roomie told me “we are making brownies to bring to pub trivia”. So really a bit = once and because I was told to.

So I did. We used this recipe from All Recipes and it turned out pretty good if I do say so myself.  And the fact that there were none left by the end of the night is a good sign too (do not disillusion me by saying that we were drinking at trivia night. Irrelevant!) If I were to make them in the future I’d try and tweak the recipe to make them more fudgey. Maybe less flour and an extra egg?  I know that with all my box mixes I get to add an extra egg to fudgify it.

Hope everyone is enjoying your Monday! I knew when I left work on Friday that today was going to be a rough one but, hey, the weather is nice and I’m sitting on a really good (well relatively speaking anyway) 8.5 miler already done.  There was IT pain and my legs felt dead. But that could be taper related.  The humidity was definitely a factor as well, 53* and 91% humidity! And YES to spring again because the sun actually rose in the first half of my run.

So I say: Monday? Bring it on!

Life, uh, Finds A Way

If there is one thing the history of evolution has taught us it’s that life will not be contained. Life breaks free, expands to new territory, and crashes through barriers, painfully, maybe even dangerously.

Don’t judge me for my favorite book. ❤

Is it too much to ask for consistency?! I mean, I LOVE that I feel like I’m on an exciting frontier with life stuff. Like I’m a pioneer or something.

thanks google.

But is it too much to ask that the small life stresses stay the same so I can concentrate on other stuff? That means: work, family, friends: you are on alert. Don’t change.  Don’t cause drama.  Because I can handle the status quo right now. Do not play this cyclical game of giving me stress and then backing off.  It’s disarming. And will cause me to be pissy.

Life: stop breaking free and causing chaos in my life. (And don’t worry I’m not as stressed — like at all — as I was back in February and March.  Just annoyed because there are things that I want to do (SELFISH alert!) and can’t at the moment. Annoying)

You too mother nature.  It’s been going back and forth between humid + rainy to brisk (I can’t in good conscience call it cold anymore) + sunshine.

Luckily (?)  my run on Tuesday got the humid part.  Complete with some drizzle and WIND.  When I got up this morning, after resetting my alarm more than once, my mood matched the dark skies.  I was only planning on 10 or so, which was also the feedback that my body was giving me from the get-go, but as the run went on I got faster and faster and my mood got better and better.  In spite of the humidity, on and off rain, and wind.

It was actually, GASP!, fun.

Sometimes, in spite of everything seemingly stacked against you, a ray of sunshine comes through. It helps when it’s literal, as was the case when I hit my apartment to get the 10. The sun broke through!  It was like a sign to keep going. And I listened (Taper whaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaat?)

I’m glad I did because the last 6 felt effortless. It might have been a bit, well unwise, on my part. Taper? IT?

thanks google. and rachel

I know that I had a good, pain free run over the weekend with my 20 miler.  But that run was characterized by an overall slow down for the run.  This run? Nuh-uh-uh. I felt like I was FLYING by the end. If that 20 miler was a sign that I can complete the marathon this one was a glimmer of hope that I might actually finish with a smile on my face.

Running is fun again.

And I say that with the knowledge that my run Wednesday kind of sucked.  Because it was a true recovery run.  As in: Sloooooooooow.  And with some IT pain the whole time.  I use the term “pain” very loosely, it was more of an awareness that my IT band is a part of my body.

Today? Who know what it’ll bring. I’m tempted to do some fartleks.  But let’s just hope for an IT pain free run, m’kay? And let’s hope I make it through the next 11 days (holy s#$%!) without going crazy, m’kay? I’m sure it’ll be easy, m’kay?

Can anyone not say m;kay and think of this guy? thanks google

On a follow up note from my last post and the response I was getting from me cutting our the shaker: well I hear y’all (and let me tell you it warms my heart to have people tell me to keep on saltin’) buttttttttttttt that doctor is probs right.  I will definitely admit to eating a fair amount of processed  and canned foods which give me plenty of salt as it is (I tend to crave salty stuff).

Maybe I’ll revisit the issue in the summer (or even spring once I start really sweating salt) but for now I’m going to try and reduce my added intake.  So far, and it’s been almost a week, nothing major has happened aside from my food being a little blander. And it’s not that I have health issues with HTN either.  My blood pressure is routinely low.  But, like lots of other things in life, the effects of too much salt (it’s literally a shaker every 10 days or so) probably won’t be seen until later in life when it’s too late to correct it.